


a lover who can play the bass

by asjoyouslyyy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Boy Band, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Band Fic, Best Friends, Eventual Relationships, F/F, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Inspired by Music, Inspired by Taylor Swift, M/M, Multi, Mutual Pining, Private School, Song Lyrics, Wolfstar and Jily, but not too heavy either, but still a lot of jily, evermore/folklore are about wolfstar, i tried to make it as deep as possible to make the characters realistic, im nervous about this, its not exactly light, might have desi music?, mostly wolfstar, poc characters, when u cant listen to music without thinking of the marauders
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-18 20:28:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28873098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asjoyouslyyy/pseuds/asjoyouslyyy
Summary: “I hope that I do not have to remind you once again, boys, that the beginning of this term will set the standard for the rest of your careers. Your exams last year provided proof that you are, in fact, capable of putting your talents to productive use” said McGonogall, nearing the end of the lecture she had repeated to the quartet for the past 5 years.“For goodness’ sake, starting a band with your coordination would be better than wreaking havoc in these halls every week.”As memorable as this statement was, to say that this had immediately sparked a moment between the boys that would be remembered as their legendary origins, would be a lie._______The Marauders are inspired to start a band- but unrequited love, pining for your best friends, high school drama, and character trauma gets in the way. Makes for the best songs though, right??? We'll win this record, our parents over, AND our lovers over, right????
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Marlene McKinnon/Dorcas Meadowes, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 6
Kudos: 12





	a lover who can play the bass

**Author's Note:**

> hi guys omg ok first fic - i can't listen to music without thinking of the boys anymore so i thought i'd write something to do them justice. in this chapter the environment is set and you see the idea take place in their brains. i hope u guys love it!  
> A full list of songs will be in the notes of each chapter.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> chapter 1: origins
> 
> CW// description of abusive parents, nothing explicit, just a few mental symptoms glossed over. unrequited love, teenagery feelings of letting everyone down.
> 
> a hopefully nice ease into our characters, how they're feeling, and where their thoughts will lead them!
> 
> songs:  
> Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 2- Pink Floyd  
> A Line Without a Hook- Ricky Montgomery

To children bred to be powerful, there was only one thing that could dictate the direction of their steps, the reasoning of their daily ambitions- the incessant ringing of the bell situated in every hallway of Hogwarts Preparatory Academy, as it pushed and pulled these self-titled “magical” students in every which direction. 

There was an oddity among these halls, this Monday morning, as the bell pulled students to their first classes. 

On this particularly vibrant day, as far as Monday's tend to go, every bell seemed to be playing a loop of Floyd’s _Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2,_ for a duration much longer than the 20 minutes after breakfast to get to class. 

Every professor knew it would not stop playing “ _Hey! Teacher! Leave those kids alone!”_ unless the culprits were found, (and ironically, never left alone.) Every student knew who the culprits of such a detailed crime could be. 

Every culprit was grinning ear to ear, repressing the urge to stand in the hallway and sing along to the anthem that would start off their reign in the sixth year of imprisonment in this “mind-numbing cubicle job pipeline” (Term coined by yours truly, James Potter).

_Almost_ every culprit had the right mind to do so. Sirius Black, as per usual, was the exception.

His tie askew, long and shaggy dark hair against the olive of his high cheekbones barely brushing the tips of his shoulders, Sirius Black was tapping- nay, _banging_ , his leather-boot clad foot into a locker door to the beat, and had seemed to have acquired some drumsticks to add to the musical chaos.

“MR. BLACK, PUT YOUR FOOT DOWN THIS INSTANT,” was followed by a frantic clicking of heels against the hall floor, a few more groans, and the suspicious backwards strolling of the short and stubby Peter Pettigrew, who had been gazing at Sirius’ handiwork in admiration. 

Sirius, foot lowering while his smirk grew, had only one response, one he would deny having been planning to use for far too long before the prank had been executed. 

“Hey, Minny, never leave _me_ alone.” 

Remus’ facepalm was audible from across the hall. 

“Mr. Black, I assure you that you will scarcely be left alone in the coming year. Mr. Pettigrew, you will be part of this effort, so I urge you to reconsider your retreat. My office, _now_.” If the pure authority leaking from the boys’ Head of House wasn’t enough to lure them towards her door, experience in this particular area of intervention was. Grinning over his shoulder, Sirius sent a cheeky wink to James, who was lurking behind Remus’ tall figure, both marvelling at their good fortune of not getting pulled with their partners-in-crime. 

Too soon.

“Wait.” Professor McGonagall had abruptly stopped in her tracks, Sirius and Peter doing the same behind her. She slowly turned completely, narrowing her eyes at the laughing boys across from her. Her gaze rose to behind them, and now her sharp eyes pierced through Remus’ eyes- brown orbs flitting from hers, to James’, to the floor beneath him timidly. 

___

“I hope that I do not have to remind you once again, boys, that the beginning of this term will set the standard for the rest of your careers. Your exams last year provided proof that you _are,_ in fact, capable of putting your _talents_ to productive use” said McGonogall, nearing the end of the lecture she had repeated to the quartet for 5 years.

“For goodness’ sake, starting a _band,_ or a- a- _singing quartet_ with your coordination would be better than wreaking havoc in these halls every week.” 

As memorable as this statement was, to say that this had immediately sparked a moment between the boys that would be remembered as their legendary origins, would be a lie. In fact, as the boys huffed at their punishments and headed back up to their dorm, there was nothing particularly amusing about spending time to make music with each other when they had 5 essays and hour long detention to attend to.

It was not until that night, when James was dramatizing his unrequited love for a certain redhead he’d been in love with since 3rd year, that the idea had taken its place in their minds.

Gazing into a mirror across from him, James had no choice but to dramatize his feeling rather than facing it head on- hopelessness. Hopelessness in pursuing what he actually would like to rather than taking up the Potter Company, hopelessness in Sirius' family situation, hopelessness in Remus never making a move on Sirius, hopelessness in Peter drawing away from him, hopelessness in progress with his relationship with Lily. It'd been his job, his _duty_ , to hold them together, hold _himself_ together. Now all he could do was think about how utterly pathetic it was for him to think he deserved to hold everyone together. How much he deserved anyone's love, or faith in him.

Maybe Lily had it right. She's going in the right direction, not putting anything in him- not at the _least_ love, if they'd gotten too far into friendship at this point. He'd only end up disappointing everyone.

But.

“I love her. I love her like… like… a line,” sighs James, wringing his tie nervously in the mirror he had been staring at for the past 10 minutes.

“A what?” questions Remus, who had been watching his friends’ dilemma with amusement from his bed in their dorm.

“A line. It’s linear. It never ends, _y’know_ , it just keeps going and going and going and-”

“Linear lines never change either, you know. If your love for her _was_ in fact a line, it would have started at the same pace it would be moving at forever. Did you learn anything in Algebra?” laughs Remus, as a q-tip was thrown in his direction.

“Not to mention the line can go in either direction, you know. How do we know you’re not going down on the line?” pipes Peter, entering the bathroom.

“A line without a hook.” says Sirius, gazing intently at the ceiling above him as he lay on the floor at James’ feet.

James drops his glasses from where he'd been cleaning them with his tie. An _OUCH!_ and silence for a slow second was followed by a unanimous: “ _What?”_

Sirius, unaware of the disruption he’d caused in his best friends’ perceptions of him, rubs his face where impacted by the black spectacles. “ _What_ what?”

James, who’s chin had finally risen from its drop into a thoughtful expression asks, “What did you just say? About the hook?”

“What? Is that a bad thing? Mr. _Orion_ used to say it a lot about, like, the Black family without racism or some shit like that. Is it a bad thing?” Sirius is now worried, looking around sheepishly at their marveled faces.

The air goes tense as it usually does with mention of Sirius’ abusive parents, and suddenly Sirius’ distractions make more sense. Their hold on his life was not yet completely cut off, even after he'd moved in with the Potters last summer. There were instances in which they got in his head, degraded him from the inside out. Perhaps that was the worst symptom of all.

Remus cuts in, in effort to comfort his friend- “No, Pads, it’s not a bad thing, it’s just- it’s just profound. A nice metaphor. A line without a hook can’t really do anything, can it? Nice of you to turn something with context like that about James’ unrequited love, eh?” offers the lanky boy.

Sirius doesn’t seem to meet his gaze, but his eyes soften where they meet the ceiling.

“Are you kidding- it’s _perfect_. The poets ache to be you, Pads,” grins James, diffusing tension.

“Alright, chill, it wasn’t that deep. You writing poetry about her again or some shit? You know she won’t hesitate to dump the Mystery ICEE on your head again, Prongs,” sighs Sirius, lifting himself up.

“No. Shut up. I’m a wreck. This lady will be the death of me,” sighs James, picking up his glasses and brushing his sweater. “How do I look?”

“Dashing boy.”

“You charming man.”

“Ravishing, prince.”

James rolls his eyes with a grin, and walks towards his impending doom- RA patrol with Lily. On the first school night of the term, they're expected to keep an eye out on the various activities that go on in Gryffindor Hall, but all James is ever able to keep his eye on is her red hair, her blush, her lips, her soft ski- A wreck. He's a wreck. The only thing he should be worrying about right now is her fuming face when he's 10 minutes late. “Be good, lads. Don’t let Sirius write more poetry or Oscar Wilde will be running for his money.”

A rubber ball hits the back of the door as James closes it, and the three remaining boys watch as it reaches Sirius’ elbows on the floor.

“She’s our lovely lady and he’s just a line without his hook, isn’t he?” Sirius murmurs to himself, as Peter and Remus settle into their daily tasks. 

He doesn't notice the latter’s gaze jumping to study his sulking face every so often.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hopefully that was enough to keep you hooked! i hope to update every week, but you never know with my procrastination and depression xoxo
> 
> i hope to edit this thoroughly before putting the next chapter out, not content-wise but just the logistics and technicalities, considering i think it might be easier and more coherent to have them at Hogwarts canon during the 70s, so that their musical endeavors make more sense? thoughts? (P.S: when I've decided, I'll edit it cohesively and just explain in the beginning of the next chapter so you don't miss anything).
> 
> the things that WON'T CHANGE ARE: the boys are in their sixth year, and all songs mentioned that are pre-1990s are already released and not the Marauders'. it's a bit confusing, but i assure you that you will be able to tell when the characters are producing a song themselves vs. jamming/plotting/pining to one. 
> 
> thanks for sticking with me through this y'all!


End file.
